The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-10-06
RUSHING LIKE WILD BEASTS.

people rushed like wild beasts ut President
Cleveland and his wife this afternoon at the
Palmer House Ii was reception to the
general public, and the Chief Magistrate,
with his radiant companion, had Just de-
scended the main staircase. In vain did the
police, clubs i'll hand, attempt to stem the
rush. The rope barriers had been swept
away at the first onset. 1t was well
that Il nook of safety had been
provided for Mrs. Cleveland I'm
mediately to the right of the stair
case was an alcove almost hidden i'll sllken
bunting and waving green plants Into
this she was speedily thrust, while the Pres
ldent giving a single sweeping glance at
the surging crowd. plunged into its midst
and sturdilS shouldered himself by sheer
strength into the place it had been decided
he should stand Three times did the files
OF brawny dismounted cavalrymen seize
the ends of one of the ropes that had been
dashed to the floor, and strive
to drag back the eager multitude,
only with the aid of double Gordon of
police, the front line backing against thY
crowd and the second rank pushing their
hlue-coated comrades forward, did the laSso
nanpuvre of the soldiers bring faint
semblance of order. The President was
meanwhile shaking hands right and left till
he was red in the face and his collar lay
limp above his black Prince Albert coat
WHERE MRS. CLEVELAND STOOD.
Behind him and slightly to his right
standing at the entrance to the alcove, a
couple of steps above the crowd, was Mrs.
Cleveland, laughing merrily at the PreSi-
dents plight and bowling and smiling good
naturedly at the crowd. She was sur
rounded by bevy of staid matrons richly
dressed, but all in dark colors In striking
contrast was Mrs. Cleveland's hight sky blue
silk bodice and jupon, trimmed with fieecy
dotted lace finger wide to match. Her
glossy pompadour coied hair and fluffy
bangs were without ornament, but
below glittered a delicate neck
chain, and the lace that hung
from her shoulders was caught together at
rosette of diamonds. Long mousquetaire
gloves of tan, and slender serpentine brace
lets completed the costume. Mrs. Cleve-
land looked the personification of youthful
health and beauty as she stepped a little
nearer her husband, when the first appear
ance of a line had begun to be formed of
the people. At the head came a detach-
ment of Union veterans, bearing aloft a
tattered bullet riven battle flag OF the
Eleventh Kansas volunteers. A striking scene
ensued. While the President warmly greet
ed the old soldiers one after another the
color bearer stepped forward to Mrs Cleve-
land and gently lowering the old flag bade
her clip off one of its precious Shreds as a
memento of the day. The wife of the Presi-
dent gracefully complied and while the
spectators went wild with enthusiasm, dis
played her trophy proudly to the ladies at
her side, the President shook hands with
redoubled vigor, and an actual count at this
luncture showed his gait to be forty-seven
hand-Shakes per minute, This rate was kept
up without intermisson until the time fixed
for the reception to end and not person ia.
the line was missed. A low estimate of the
number who passed him is 5000 persons.
These were fortunate few. Thousands in
the corridors and thousands upon thousands
in the streets failed to catch sight of his face
The rotunda and halls of the hotel hike the
outside tboroughfareS for blocks around. had
been taken complete possession of by the
gigantic outpOuring of people, and an hour
before the reception began restraint of any
kind seemed impossible. During the crush
it is safe to say that as many as fifty women
had to be borne from the throng into stores
near by, fainting from exhaustion.
THE EVENING RECEPTION.
Simplicity and lack of ostentation were
the distinguishing characteristics of the re-
ception to the President and Mrs. Cleveland
this evening, at the Columbia Theatre where
only those were admitted who had been per
sonally invited by the committee of citizens
charged with that duty Ten thousand
tickets had been issued, each admitting one
man and his complement of ladies The
vicinity Of the theatre was jammed with
curious spectators, who eyed closely
the occupants of the carriages roll
ing up, one after another, to the
one had been admitted before the advent Of
the Presidential party, and the people who
came in carriages, as well as those who
came otherwise, were obliged to wait in
lines stretching fully a block on the side
walk in either direction from the theatre
Within was a scene of rare loveliness. Bar
ring the liberal display of stars and stripes,
the decorations were wholly composed of
natural flowers and foliage, and the effect
was strikingly rich, but subdued. Roses
predominated, not less than Il 900 having
been utilized.
LEVEL FLOOR.
a floor had been laid through the house
level with the stage and il was beautifully
carpeted The stage itself had been ar
ranged to represent the reception hall of u
modern mansion, though the walls were
nearly hidden in prnfusion of ferns and
palms. Simultaneously with the entry of
the President and his wife from
the side of the stage and taking their
stand under the massive chandelier in
the centre of the stage, "a line OF people two
abreast advanced toward them, headed by
Gen A. H. Terry and wife. The orchestra
III the balcony broke into a melody. The
group of ladies accompanying Mrs. Cleve-
land clustered about her with their escorts
and, under the soft light shed over all, she,
with her husband, greeted couple after
couple with pleasant word and smile and
hearty shake of the hand Brilliant toilets
were in line, as beautiful as they were
costly-mary OF thenl-but they were the
exception, not the rule.
THOUSANDS DISAPPOINTED.
IL had been announced that the reception
would close at II O'Clock The President
and Mrs Cleveland looked at the line Of
anxious faces and fingered past the hour five
minutes. Ten minutes went by, but the
crowd seemed uneiding. Reluctantly both
Of them turned away, and from 1000 TO
5000 people who had waited hours were dis
appointed IL was not wanting much of
midnight when the place finally cleared
THE COATS AND DRESSES.
Not over three-ifths of the gentlemen
wore the regulation claw hammer the coats
of the remainder being generally Prince
Albert. The President himself was in full
dress. Mrs, Cleveland looked queenly in
loose-fitting, simply mnde reception gown of
dark mistletoe green plush, cut moderately
low and quantity trimmed at the neck, and
on the short sleeves with ancient escuria
lace. In her hair she wore a diamond
brooch of exquisite workmanship A neck
loco of diamonds Sparlylad aH hor throat